


Big Hero 6 (redux)

by PrettyInPurple00



Category: Big Hero 6 (2014)
Genre: AU?, Gen, Kinda, Retelling, Tags Are Hard, slight tadahoney
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-12-26
Updated: 2015-01-04
Packaged: 2018-03-03 14:35:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 8,010
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2854352
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PrettyInPurple00/pseuds/PrettyInPurple00
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A retelling of the film, with one major difference.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

"Hiro.  _Hiro._ "

The younger Hamada stirred and blinked open his eyes.

Tadashi was standing over him, his tan satchel slung over his shoulder, his baseball cap slightly askew. Hiro noticed dark circles under his eyes, but despite that, Tadashi still had a smile on his face.

Hiro groaned and buried his face in the pillow. "What?" The teen did not appreciate being woken up before the sun.

"I'm heading to school. I just wanted to let you know," replied Tadashi.

"Now? But it's so early," Hiro said, his voice clouded with sleepiness.

"I have a lot of to things to do."

Hiro looked up at his brother. "You mean that project you're working on? The one you won't tell me about?"

The older boy sighed. "Yes, that one. But you'll get to see it soon. Very soon. I promise. I want it to be perfect."

"Alright," Hiro answered, turning on his side. "You better hurry, then."

Tadashi chuckled and gave Hiro's hair a tousle. "I'll see you later. I love you, knucklehead."


	2. Chapter 2

Tadashi Hamada navigated his crimson scooter through the bustling streets of San Fransokyo. Cars, trucks, bicycles and pedestrians crammed the narrow roads all at once, and it took an experienced rider to traverse it all.

He rode past his favorite takeout restaurant, the public library, a place he spent more time than any human should, and the movie theater, where upon watching a marathon of Yoshiro Takachiho films the summer before his freshman year of high school, his love of science and robotics was born.

As the technology institute drew closer, the air seemed electrified. Tadashi couldn't believe it. His secret project that was literally a labor of love was near completion, and two years of research, countless all-nighters, and hundreds of cups of coffee were finally going to pay off.

Tadashi rounded a corner and pulled into school's grounds. He zipped by the main campus to the laboratory, a sleek, new building created specifically for science and technology majors.

Parking his scooter in the designated spot, he recognized a bright yellow moped with purple flames painted on the sides a few spaces down.

_GoGo's here._

Securing his helmet to the handlebars, he rushed up the steps.

It was a Saturday morning, so most of the labs and workbenches were empty. He suspected they would be occupied soon, however. Dedication and drive fueled the students. The weekend couldn't keep them away for long.

Entering the lab he shared with a dozen other people, Tadashi frowned. Where was GoGo? He saw her bike hooked up, but she was missing.

 _Hmm._ Tadashi chuckled to himself. Knowing GoGo, she was probably on the hunt for more gum.

He headed for his personal room, passing Honey's chemistry station on the way. Glass tubes twisted into spirals, along with rounded beakers and thin vials filled with colorful liquids, were all connected to each other, held up by a wire frame.

Tadashi unlocked the door and went in. He hung his cap on a hook and set his bag down on the computer chair. Underneath the circular window sat a little red box – or at least that's what it looked like from the outside. Tadashi stooped down, running his hand through his hair. It was so much more. For twenty-four months, he had devoted close to every waking second to its creation. Baymax was going to help so many people. He took a deep breath. "Are you ready, buddy?"

"Hey."

He looked back and saw GoGo standing in the doorway.

"Morning," he greeted, getting to his feet. "I didn't see you when I came in."

"I had to get some more gum," she told him, brandishing a fresh pack.

"That's what I figured," Tadashi said with a grin.

GoGo lifted the flap and popped a stick in her mouth. "Want one?" She held a piece out.

"No, thanks," Tadashi declined with a polite wave of his hand.

"Who were you talking to?" she asked, putting the rest of the gum in her pocket.

"Ah... Baymax," Tadashi said with a sheepish laugh. "He's almost done, but it's going to be a long day."

She nodded. "Tell me about it. My stupid bike is not working. I guess I should get started, or I won't be going home tonight."

"Me, too," Tadashi agreed.

"Don't work too hard," she said, reminding him of the times he refused to leave his desk for hours until he reached his goal.

"I won't," he promised.

GoGo retreated into the main lab and Tadashi watched as she detached her bike from the metal suspension hooks and laid it flat on the ground. A bin full of discarded wheels was nearby, and soon, another one joined the pile.

Despite her tough exterior, GoGo was a softy, and supportive to a fault. In fact, practically everyone at the institute was. It was true that the sign outside read 'Robotics Lab,' but it was open to all scientific fields. The people who studied here held great respect for the subject. Everyone's passions were different, but a common thread united them all: They all dreamed that their inventions, which started out as nothing but a spark of an idea, would one day go on to change the world.

Tadashi closed the door, and grabbing his clapperboard and flashlight from the cabinet, he stared down at Baymax's charging station with a hopeful smile. "Let's begin."

-o-

At noon, Wasabi joined the party, bringing lunch for everyone. Salad was on the menu, something GoGo wasn't too thrilled about. She was in the mood for hamburgers, to which Wasabi looked horrified, asking her if she knew what went into that processed meat. GoGo didn't listen, grumbling between forkfuls of lettuce and vowing to get hamburgers for dinner.

Tadashi wasn't picky, at least not today. He hadn't a chance to eat breakfast, so after working for nearly six hours on an empty stomach, anything edible was fine with him.

Honey arrived a while later. She wasted no time in grabbing her lab coat and mixing chemicals in a pink and yellow fury.

Meanwhile, Tadashi was having a problem. He tossed the clapperboard on the desk, the number '83' scratched in the corner with chalk.

Baymax was fully inflated, standing in front of him. The latest test run resulted in the smoke alarm going off and a temporary evacuation while the air cleared.

Now Tadashi was back at it, but he wasn't sure where the issue was. Frustration was gnawing at him, but he had to keep going.

"I'm not giving up on you," he said to the robot. That phrase was his motto; it applied to everything he did in life.

A few more minutes of tinkering and tightening wires, Tadashi gave it another try. He erased the '3' on the clapperboard and replaced it with a '4.'

Needing a bit more encouragement, Tadashi placed his cap back on. It was the last gift his father gave to him before he passed, and the young man prayed that his father's spirit was with him now.

Flicking a switch, Tadashi began recording. He taped every trial, no matter the outcome. Baymax's eyes, which not only allowed the robot to see, also doubled as a video camera.

"This is, ah, Tadashi Hamada, and this is the  _eighty-fourth_ test. What do you say, big guy?"

He pressed another button, and waited.

"Hello, I am Baymax. Your personal healthcare companion."

Tadashi's heart stopped. "It works. It works! Oh, this is amazing!" Unable to contain his excitement, he planted a kiss on Baymax's face. "You work! I knew it! I knew it! Okay, alright," he whispered, trying to calm down, "big moment here. Scan me."

"Your neurotransmitter levels are elevated. This indicates that you are happy," Baymax reported.

"I am. I  _really_ am. Oh, man. Wait till my brother sees you. You're going to help so many people, buddy.  _So many._ " Tadashi looked directly into Baymax's eyes. "That's all for now. I am satisfied with my care."

Baymax folded up just as he should and Tadashi slumped in his chair. He couldn't believe it. Raw emotion surged in his veins.

"Guys!" Tadashi jumped up and raced to the door. He pulled on the handle and smacked right into Honey, who was passing by, carrying a bottle of clear liquid. It splashed on his shirt and pants before pooling around his sneakers.

"Honey," he gasped. "I'm sorry. I-"

"It's okay," she said quickly, reaching for the paper towels. "It's just alcohol. What's wrong?"

GoGo looked up from her place on the floor. "Tadashi, what's going on?"

"It works. Baymax works." Still in shock, he could only manage short sentences.

"Are you serious?"

Honey squealed with excitement and grabbed her friend in a tight hug. "Congratulations! Can we see?"

"Yeah, just give me a sec." Tadashi disappeared into the room, and after changing his shirt, invited Honey, GoGo, and Wasabi in to see Baymax.

The puffy nurse-bot scanned each of them and gave them their vitals plus their blood type and neurotransmitter levels.

"He's amazing!" Honey exclaimed, still in awe.

"This is incredible, man," Wasabi said.

GoGo patted Tadashi's shoulder, a silent commendation.

"I'm gonna call Hiro," Tadashi said. He dialed his brother's cell, but only after one ring, it went to voicemail. "That's weird."

"Is everything okay?" Honey asked.

"Hiro's not answering. He  _always_  answers."

"Come on, guys," GoGo said. The three friends filed out and GoGo shut the door behind her.

Alone, Tadashi then tried the café. "Lucky Cat Café," said the voice on the other end.

"Aunt Cass, it's me."

"Oh, hi, sweetie. How's it going?" She sounded ever cheerful, even though Tadashi knew she'd been working for over twelve hours. Saturday was the busiest day of the week for the business.

"Um, good. Is Hiro there? I want to talk to him."

"Uh, no. I think he's at the library."

He froze.  _The library? Oh,_   _no._

Not wanting to alarm his aunt, Tadashi went with it. "Oh. Okay. That's fine. I'll just catch him later."

"You coming home soon?"

"Ah, yeah. Yeah. I'm just wrapping up here, and then I'll be home."

"Okay, see you soon. I love you."

"Love you, too," he said.

As soon as the conversation ended, Tadashi opened up his GPS app. 'Library' was code for bot-fights. Back in January, when Hiro first expressed interest in the underground sport, Tadashi implanted a tracker in his phone. If he couldn't stop him from going, he could at least know where he was, just in case. Now, three months later, he was glad he had it. According to the map, Hiro was in the Kabukicho neighborhood, one of the most dangerous places in the city.

Tadashi grabbed his keys and gray cardigan hanging over the computer chair. The sun was setting and he had to hurry. The real trouble in that area happened after dark.

"I gotta go," he announced to the group, once out of his room. "But I'll be back."

"What happened?" asked GoGo.

He sighed. "For being a genius, my brother is a real knucklehead, sometimes."


	3. Chapter 3

_Six hours earlier..._

If there was one thing Hiro was not, it was an early riser. He didn't understand how people could get up at the crack of dawn and actually enjoy doing so. It was unnatural, really. Besides, kid geniuses needed plenty of rest. At least, that's what his response was when someone said that sleeping in past eight was a waste of time. But on this particular day, he had to force himself out of bed. There was a bot-fight later, and if wanted to compete, he had to prepare. He plopped down in front of the computer.

First order of business was seeing where the fight would be held. Locations changed every week and were not revealed until hours before they happened.

The main page of the site was innocent enough, advertising itself as an online fan club for rock music. But once you delved deeper into the hidden links, it became a very different scene.

Bot-fight aficionados called what they did a skill. It took someone special, they claimed, to design and build a winning bot from spare parts. Outsiders who denounced bot-fighting as a silly game were regarded with animosity and distrust. Having only been introduced to the sport, Hiro wasn't sure if he could consider himself an aficionado just yet, but he was definitely an enthusiast. He thrived on the energy that the matches produced.

At last, Hiro found was he was looking for. Getting a pencil, he scribbled the information down.

_Nikura Karaoke Bar_

_8-2, Kabukicho District_

_San Fransokyo, 94115_

_6:00 PM_

Hiro bit his lip. Kabukicho was a hotbed for crime. It was run-down section of the city where shady operations reigned. The teen remembered hearing of a double murder there six months earlier. Nevertheless, he tore the paper from the pad and folded it in half. He would be fine, so long as he didn't speak to anybody.

After he dressed, Hiro took out an old shoebox that he kept hidden in his closet. Removing the lid, he snatched the money crumpled up inside. He was ready.

-o-

Skipping the bottom step, Hiro dashed into the packed café. It was after one, and the lunch rush was in full swing. Perfect opportunity for him to get away without raising a lot of questions. Aunt Cass was behind the register, handing change to customers and taking orders. She was an expert at multitasking.

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead," Cass teased.

"Hey, Aunt Cass," he said. "Is it alright if I go to the library? I want to get some books."

He felt guilty about lying, but he knew she would kill him if she found out what he was doing. Or worse, forbid him from ever attending a bot-fight again.

She nodded. "Of course."

"Thanks. I'm gonna go in a bit, though. I want to do something in the garage first."

That was true.

"Oh. What?"

"Try out my new printer."

Not true.

"Shouldn't you have something to eat first?"

"I'll just take one of these," he said, plucking a shrink-wrapped blueberry muffin from a tray on the counter.

"You sure that's enough?" she asked, doubtful. Hiro was a growing boy.

He raised it in the air like he was giving a toast. "Plenty. I'll be out there, okay?"

"Have fun. Let me know when you leave for the library."

"Will do," he said, already halfway out the door. "Love you!"

-o-

Nibbling the pastry, Hiro fiddled with his bot for the next three hours, rewiring it to run faster, stronger, better.

Contrary to its name, Megabot was a scrawny, unassuming thing. But Hiro didn't mind. It was exactly the reason he made it that way.

No one would expect a young kid like him with a bot like that to ever pose a threat, and that was the exciting part.

But there was good reason to have a few nerves tonight. Rumors floated around that Yama, the most notorious bot-fighter of all, was going. An official announcement issued by the creator of the online page warned everyone to bring their very best, or don't show up at all.

"Don't disappoint me," Hiro said, jabbing a finger in Megabot's face. A goofy, hand-painted smile looked back at him. It was adorable, and the perfect decoy.

Hiro checked his watch. Time to get moving. He went to the opposite side of the garage where his bike was hanging on the wall. About to take it down, he paused. The front tire had a gaping hole in it, rendering it useless. Now what? Hiro huffed, annoyed. This would not be an issue if he had his own scooter. Tadashi tried to teach him on his last year, but the lesson ended just as quickly as it had begun when Hiro almost crashed through the glass front of the café. It wasn't that big of a deal, but Aunt Cass stepped in and said that Hiro had to wait until he was older and more responsible. Stranded, the only option was to walk. Not waiting another minute, Hiro shoved Megabot in the pouch of his hoodie and headed out.

-o-

Following explicit directions, Hiro traveled farther from the city center than he ever had before. All he knew faded from view, and an eerie coldness set in. There was not a soul in sight. The structures that surrounded him were largely abandoned and falling apart. Neon signs with Japanese lettering flickered outside seedy establishments that he didn't care to think about what went on inside.

Dumpsters lined the alleys, overflowing with garbage bags, many of which were split open from stray animals. A cat crossed his path, staring at him with eyes that resembled marbles. The stench from the sewer system that ran underground came up through the grates, making him gag.

Panic gripped him.  _Was this a mistake?_   _No. Relax. You're almost there._  Hiro steeled himself and pushed on.

He continued the route he was walking and that's when he detected the first trace of civilization a few blocks away. Pulsing music was coming from a building straight ahead. Hiro checked the address. That was Nikura's. With the windows boarded up and the brick façade cracked and chipped, it looked like it hadn't been touched in a hundred years. Either way, Hiro didn't care. He just wanted to get off the street.

Pushing on the door on the side of the bar, a darkened staircase led him down to a hallway. Heavy metal blasted through the speakers, shaking the floor. He could barely see, the narrow space lit only by a single bulb dangling from a thin chain.

Cigarette smoke wafted through the air, and Hiro knew he was close. The corridor stopped at a door, and taking a breath, Hiro turned the handle. It creaked open and Hiro felt a renewed burst of energy at what he saw. Hordes of people huddled around the middle of the room, shouting, cheering, swearing.

Hiro squeezed between the bodies. A girl with spiky, magenta pigtails was sitting on the floor, legs crossed. Determination etched itself on her face. The bot she was controlling flew across the mat, beating its opponent into submission. For a second, it looked like she was victorious, but before she could celebrate, the other bot transformed its claw into a sawblade, and in one move, sliced her bot clean in half.

A hush fell across the crowd. The girl stared, shocked.

Inching closer to the ring, Hiro caught a glimpse of the challenger. It was Yama.

His name meant 'mountain,' and it suited him well. Four hundred pounds of scary, he was surely a sumo wrestler in another life.

"And the winner, with five total annihilations... Yama!"

The referee, a young woman with a patch over her left eye and decorative chopsticks poking out of her bun, flourished her hand in Yama's direction.

"Who's next?" he roared. "Who dares to step into the ring with Yama?"

Hiro saw everyone tiptoe back, scared out of their wits. One boy even ripped the head off his own bot. This was his chance. Hiro spoke up. "Can I try?"

The crowd parted, revealing the fourteen-year-old. "I have a robot," he said, holding Megabot up. "I made it myself." That instantly drew chuckles from the room.

Yama narrowed his eyes at him. "What's your name,  _little boy?_ "

"H-hiro. Hiro Hamada."

"Beat it, kid," the referee snapped. "House rules. You gotta pay to play."

"Oh. Is this enough?" Hiro retrieved a handful of crumpled bills from his pocket.

The older man's lip curled into a wicked smile. "Prepare your bot,  _Zero._ "

Sitting across from each other, the referee held a Chinese parasol in the center of the ring. "Two bots enter, one bot leaves. Fighters ready? Three... two... one... fight!"

Everything happened so fast.

Hiro shot Megabot forward, but Little Yama was too quick. He tossed Megabot in the air like a ragdoll and dismantled the poor thing with no effort.

Megabot landed in three pieces all over the mat.

The crowd erupted into fits of laughter and jeers.

It was difficult, but Hiro kept his emotions in check. He had to play this exactly right.

He looked at his bot, mouth agape. "That was my first fight," he stammered. "Can I try again?"

"Nobody like a sore loser," Yama snarled, stuffing the cash in his polyester jacket. "Go home."

"I have more money."

Yama's beady eyes darted to Hiro's palm, which was holding a neat roll of bills tied with a rubber band. That was all he needed to hear.

The scene was reset, but this time, Hiro was competing for real.

With a little manipulation, the remote control that he used doubled in size. A wide grin broke out on his face.

"Megabot," he commanded. "Destroy."

-o-

Tadashi didn't know where the hell he was. The glowing lights of San Fransokyo were long gone, and he was driving around the Kabukicho district in almost complete darkness. His tracker wasn't picking up Hiro's signal, no doubt because his brother was in a place that jammed the cell service.

Minutes passed and the temperature dropped. In short, Tadashi was pissed. It took a lot to ruffle him, but this was the biggest pet peeve of all. He loved his brother, but he also had no problem calling him out on the idiotic decisions he made, and if he was being honest, that was most of the time.

Shutting off the engine, Tadashi waited. He had circled the neighborhood at least four times. The last thing he wanted was to run out of battery here.

"Nobody hustles Yama!"

 _What was that?_ Tadashi's ears perked up. He kicked the scooter into high gear. Call it fraternal intuition, but he just knew that Hiro was somehow involved in that scuffle.

The gruff voice spoke again. "Take care of him."

Speeding, Tadashi's headlight cut through the blackness, revealing a group of thugs advancing toward Hiro, who had nowhere to run.

Blinded, the thugs jumped back and Tadashi skidded to a stop. "Hiro! Get on!"

"Tadashi!"

Hiro hopped on the back and gripped Tadashi's shoulders to keep from falling. Tadashi floored it.

Out of imminent danger, Tadashi plopped an extra helmet on Hiro's head.

"You okay?" he asked.

Hiro breathed with relief. "Yeah."

"Are you hurt?"

"No."

_Well, in that case..._

Tadashi reached back and whacked Hiro's arm with his fist, plus one on his head for good measure.

"Then what were you thinking?! Knucklehead!"

A dead-end blocked their way and Tadashi slammed on the brakes, making a sharp U-turn.

"You graduated high school at thirteen, and  _this_ is what you're doing? Bot-fighting is illegal, Hiro! You're gonna get yourself arrested!"

Hiro scoffed. "Bot-fighting is  _not_ illegal.  _Betting_ on bot-fighting, now  _that's_ illegal," he admitted. "But so lucrative!" He waved his earnings in front of Tadashi's face. "I'm on a roll, big brother, and nothing can stop me now."

Spoke too soon.

Police sirens chirped and Tadashi's stomach dropped. "Oh, no."

-o-

Word had gotten out about the bot-fight and a raid descended upon the karaoke bar. The cops rounded everyone up and threw them into jail, including the Hamada brothers.

The only minor in the group, Hiro was given his own cell, while Tadashi had the unfortunate honor of sharing with all the others.

Hiro swung his legs back and forth. He wasn't tall enough for his feet to reach the floor.

Glancing up, he saw Tadashi's scowling face pressed up between two bars. Hiro gave a nervous chuckle and waved, but his brother's look didn't change.

"Hamada?"

One of the guards strolled up and unlocked both holding cells. "Your aunt is here," he told them.

They went outside and saw Aunt Cass pacing the sidewalk, chewing her fingernails.

"Hi, Aunt Cass," they said in unison.

She turned and ran to her nephews, embracing them. "Are you boys alright? Are you hurt?"

"No," Tadashi said.

Her expression went sour. "Then what were you two knuckleheads thinking?!" She dragged them to the car by their ears, ignoring their protests.

-o-

Aunt Cass spent the entire ride home alternating between scolding Hiro and Tadashi, and questioning her own parental abilities.

"Do I know  _anything_  about children?" she asked aloud. "No! Should I have picked up a book on parenting? Probably!"

They entered the café, where Cass promptly went to the display case of desserts and got herself a doughnut with chocolate frosting.

"I had to close up early because of you two felons," she informed them. "On beat poetry night."

She took a bite of the doughnut. "This is really good."

"I think I'm gonna go upstairs," Hiro said. "Sorry again, Aunt Cass. I love you."

"I love you, too," she said. "Now go."

Hiro disappeared to his room, leaving Tadashi and Cass to figure out what to do next.

"Tadashi, you need to have a serious talk with him. He won't listen to me. This bot-fighting has to stop."

"I've tried, Aunt Cass, but you know Hiro, he's stubborn. He just-"

"I spoke with the arresting officer tonight. This was Hiro's first offense, but if it happens again, he'll have a record. He can't afford that. It will ruin his life. Try again. I know you can get through to him."

Tadashi sighed. "Well, I have an idea. Can I take him somewhere?"

"Tonight? I don't know, honey, it's really late."

"I have to show him, not just tell him," Tadashi explained. "Please."

Cass relented. "Fine. Just be careful, okay?"

"I know it'll work," he assured her.

"I trust you," she said. "I'm gonna go up, too. I am exhausted." Aunt Cass kissed his cheek and then climbed the steps to her bedroom.

Tadashi followed behind, the gears in his mind working hard. He had a monumental task before him, but he was up for it.

-o-

Since they had moved in with Aunt Cass, Hiro and Tadashi shared a room. Because the house included the café on the main level, space was tight, and that was really the only option.

Over time, however, as Hiro's genius brain developed, Tadashi's side shrunk, eventually being pushed in the corner. He was fine with it, though. It was fun to watch Hiro creating and imagining things that no one would ever think of, and Tadashi was more than happy to encourage him in whichever way he could, even if that meant sacrificing most of his personal space.

Opening the door to their room, Tadashi spotted Hiro at the computer.

"You better find a way to make this up to Aunt Cass," he said.

"For sure," Hiro replied, his eyes trained on the screen.

"And I hope you learned your lesson, bonehead."

"Absolutely." Hiro spun around in his chair. His mouth pressed into a thin line, as if he was trying to hold in a secret.

Tadashi knew that face. "You're going bot-fighting again, aren't you?"

Hiro shrugged and stood up. "There's a fight across town. If I book now, I can still make it."

_I don't think so._

Tadashi seized the hood of Hiro's sweatshirt, halting him in his tracks.

He turned, crossing his arms. "What?"

"When are you going to do something with that big brain of yours?" Tadashi asked, poking at Hiro's skull for emphasis.

Hiro swatted his hand away. "You mean go to college like you, where people can tell me things I already know?" Sarcasm dripped from every word.

This was impossible. "Unbelievable," Tadashi whispered. "What would Mom and Dad say?"

Hiro bristled. "I don't know. They're gone. They died when I was three, remember?"

 _Of course I do,_ Tadashi thought. He wished he could take it back. It wasn't fair. He was nine when his parents passed away. At least he had memories of them. Hiro didn't have anything.

He went over to Hiro who was gazing at a photo of his parents on Tadashi's nightstand.

"I'm sorry," he said. "Listen, if you really want to go, I'll take you."

Hiro looked at him. "Seriously?"

"Yep. I can't stop you, but I'm not letting you go by yourself."

His brother's cheerful demeanor returned and he bolted from the room.

Tadashi grabbed his helmet from the bed, turning it in his hands. He did tell Hiro a white lie, but it was for his own good, and he had a feeling that Hiro would forgive him very soon.


	4. Chapter 4

Hiro crept down the stairs, the aged wood creaking with each step. In his mind, he was executing a sophisticated prison break.

"Hurry," Tadashi said, keeping his voice low.

"I'm going, I'm going. Sheesh," Hiro muttered.

He opened the front door, holding his breath as it made a squeal. This house was ancient and not conducive to escape plans.

Standing on the pavement, Hiro peered at the window to Cass' bedroom. The light was on.

Tadashi popped their aunt's trunk and lifted his scooter out.

"Don't start it here," Hiro said, alarmed. "What if she hears us?"

"She won't. Put this on." Tadashi placed the white helmet with the green stripe in Hiro's grasp.

The teen obeyed, although not without complaint. "This messes up my hair," he grumbled, fastening the strap.

"Well, it's either that or a cracked skull, and you need that, so..." Tadashi replied with a hint of snark. He took his seat on the vehicle.

Hiro occupied the remaining spot behind Tadashi and hooked his arms around his neck.

"Ready?" Tadashi revved the engine.

"Let's go." Hiro took another glance up and saw Mochi's furry little face in Aunt Cass' window.

"Do you think Mochi is a spy?" Hiro asked, as if he were inquiring about the weather. He flashed the peace sign at the cat.

Tadashi pulled away from the curb. "What?" On a list of random things Hiro had ever said, this was definitely up there.

"It makes sense," Hiro insisted. "He's always _around_ , watching me _._ And the looks he gives me are creepy. Like he's judging me."

Tadashi snickered. "Yeah, that's called being a cat. They _all_ do that."

"Also, Mochi appeared at our door two weeks after the school moved me to fifth grade. I was six. Obviously, some agency found out about me and my super brain and needed a way to monitor me. They're just waiting until I turn eighteen so they can recruit me." He leaned forward, resting his chin on Tadashi's shoulder. "There's probably a chip in him somewhere, recording my every move."

A sigh escaped from Tadashi's lips that was equal parts incredulous and amused.

Hiro laughed. Even without him saying a word, he could read Tadashi's mind.

_My brother, everyone. Child prodigy and all-around genius who also thinks that our family pet is a secret operative for the government. Unbelievable._

-o-

San Fransokyo was a unique mix of old and new. Victorian row homes lined the rolling hills that was characteristic of the city. Cable cars clanged their rusty bells as they traveled back and forth on the tracks, picking up and dropping off passengers wherever they needed. Mom-and-pop shops occupied most of the space in the heart of downtown. There was antique charm around every corner, yet you didn't have to go far to see the modern touches that made the place where the Hamada boys grew up, special. Skyscrapers were present at every intersection and glittering billboards lit up the night sky. A monorail stretched the entire length of the metropolis, providing transportation to places where the trolleys couldn't go.

The city was something of a juxtaposition, but everything melded together all the same, creating an atmosphere that was unlike any other.

"Where is this place, anyway?" Tadashi asked over the buzzing traffic.

"Takeshita Street," Hiro said. "Make a left."

The turn was coming up, but Tadashi had plans of his own. He veered to the right. _Sorry, bro._

Hiro gasped. "Where are you going? The bot fight is _that_ way!"

They sailed through a pair of stone columns, and two spotlights directed at an enormous concrete slab illuminated the sign.

_**San Fransokyo Institute of Technology** _

"Why are we at your nerd school?" he demanded.

Tadashi didn't react and hopped off the scooter in front of the robotics wing.

"Gotta grab something." He signaled for Hiro to follow.

"Is this gonna take long?" Hiro whined, once inside, dragging his feet down the tiled halls.

Tadashi rolled his eyes. "Relax, you big baby. We'll be in and out. Besides, you haven't seen my lab."

 _"_ Oh... _great_."

Tadashi held the door for Hiro, letting him to go first.

For approaching nine o' clock on a Saturday, the place was a flurry of activity. Drills whirred and eager chatter floated through the room. There was something in the excited buzz of the students all tinkering with their machines that piqued his interest. Maybe this wouldn't be such a bad detour after all.

"Heads up!" a girl's voice shouted as a yellow blur whizzed by, nearly running Hiro down.

A bike came to a stop a few yards away and the rider got off, hanging it up on a steel rack.

Hiro approached the piece of machinery and examined it up close. This was no ordinary bike.

"Whoa..."

He put his hand between the wheel and the frame. There was nothing physically attaching the two parts, only magnetic force.

"Who are you?"

Hiro backed away. The rider was standing there, her face obscured by a polished motorcycle helmet.

"Um..."

Tadashi came up behind him. "GoGo, this is my brother, Hiro."

She removed her helmet and surveyed the younger Hamada for a moment. Hiro noted her jet-black, choppy hair streaked with purple. It was actually kind of cool, he thought.

A pink bubble formed at her mouth and popped. "Welcome to the nerd lab," she said. Her voice was dry.

"I've never seen electromag suspension on a bike before," Hiro said.

GoGo manually rotated the pedals, causing the wheels to spin. "Zero resistance, faster bike," she explained. "But-" she yanked on the wheel, separating it from the rest of the bike. "-not fast enough." With a flick of her wrist, it landed in the garbage bin, among so many other rejects. _"Yet."_

She then turned on her heel and marched to the other side of the room.

With the abrupt end to the conversation, Hiro moved on to the neighboring station, where a boy in a green sweater was working.

He must have gotten too close because the boy held out a white-gloved hand, stopping Hiro in his tracks.

"Whoa, whoa! Do not move! Behind the line, please."

Hiro took a half-step back, minding the striped tape on the floor that acted as a barrier.

"Hey, Wasabi," Tadashi said. "This is my brother, Hiro."

Wasabi smiled and adjusted his safety goggles. "Hello, Hiro. Prepare to be amazed."

He took an apple from his desk and tossed it at him. "Catch."

But he didn't have to. The apple somehow went from one whole piece to dozens of wafer-thin slices, all in a matter of seconds.

Hiro plucked one out of the air. "Wow." His reaction was genuine. _How did he do that?_

The physics student turned a dial, revealing hundreds of lasers, thinner than a strand of hair.

"Laser-induced plasma?"

"With a little magnetic confinement for _ultra_ precision," Wasabi added with a proud grin.

He was now inspecting his worktable, making sure all his tools were in order.

Hiro picked up a magnifying glass, holding it up to his eye. "I could find anything in this mess."

"Ah-ah," Wasabi took it out of his hand and replaced it back in its nook. "I have a system. There's a place for everything, and everything in its place."

"Need this!" GoGo dashed over and grabbed a wrench.

Wasabi's eyes went wide, the fragile equilibrium of his space now disturbed. "You can't do that!" he cried, chasing after her. "This is anarchy!"

Hiro shot Tadashi a look but received only a chuckle. Everyone here had their little quirks and distinct personalities, but that's what made it interesting.

_"'Scuse me! Coming through! Sorry!"_

A girl with straight, golden hair appeared from around the corner, rolling what looked like a wrecking ball ahead of her. She saw Tadashi first.

"Tadashi! You're back!" Then she spotted Hiro. Her mouth dropped.

"Oh, my gosh! You must be Hiro! I've heard so much about you!" She was shouting now, and Hiro realized she was listening to music through her headphones.

Pulling the wires from her ears, she grabbed Hiro in a tight hug and kissed his cheeks. A rosy hue spread across his face.

She then dragged Hiro over to her chemistry station. "C'mere, c'mere, c'mere!"

The ball she brought in got raised up on a platform.

"That's a whole lot of tungsten carbide," Hiro said, intrigued as to what she was going to do with it.

"Four hundred pounds of it! You're gonna _love_ this."

She made her way down the table, all the while naming off the ingredients she was using.

"A dash of perchloric acid, a smidge of cobalt, and a _hint_ of hydrogen peroxide." The chemist grabbed a blowtorch and fired it up. "Superheated to five hundred Kelvin, and..."

Taking the mixture, the girl sprayed the entire ball in a fine, pink mist. She danced around it, ensuring to cover every inch. For the final step, she pulled a lever on the wall, which delivered a bolt of electricity to the experiment. It looked like a giant gumball.

"Tada!" she exclaimed. "Pretty great, huh?"

"So... pink," Hiro agreed.

"And here's the best _pa-art_ ," she sing-songed, her green eyes sparkling.

Using the tip of her finger, she touched the sphere; it disintegrated, instantly filling the room with pink dust.

Hiro couldn't believe his eyes. Not a trace of the original material was left. "Whoa."

"I know, right?" She removed her glasses, the lenses coated in the powder, along with the rest of her outfit. "Chemical-metal embrittlement!"

"Not bad, Honey Lemon," Tadashi said, joining Hiro at his side.

Hiro cocked an eyebrow. Now this was just strange. " _Honey Lemon?_ GoGo... Wasabi..."

"I spilled wasabi on my shirt one time, people! One. Time!"

Honey giggled at Wasabi's miffed tone.

Tadashi laid a hand on Hiro's shoulder. "You'll have to talk to Fred. He's the one who came up with the nicknames."

"Who's Fred?"

"This guy, right here!"

Hiro spun around and came face-to-face with two bulging lizard eyes. He yelped in surprise.

"Oh, no, no. Don't worry. This is not my real face and body," came a voice from inside the reptilian getup.

An arm extended from the lizard's mouth and shook Hiro's hand. The head portion of the costume fell back, revealing the boy. His sandy hair spilled out from underneath a turquoise cable-knit beanie with a kaiju stitched on the front.

"Name's Fred," he introduced with a friendly smile. "School mascot by day..." he twirled a cardboard sign with the school's seal. "But by night... I am also a school mascot."

Hiro chuckled. "What's your major?"

"Oh, I'm not a student," Fred replied, sinking into a tattered purple armchair by the wall. "But I am a _major_ science enthusiast."

He retrieved a comic that was trapped between the cushions and held it up so Hiro could see. A green dragon-like monster was on the cover, rampaging a city, spouting flames from its mouth onto terrorized civilians.

"I've been trying to get Honey to make me a formula that will turn me into a fire-breathing lizard at will, but she says that's 'not science.'"

"It's really not..." Honey said, coming over to stand by the chair. Her lab coat was off and her outfit was now clean of any dust.

"And I guess that shrink ray I asked Wasabi for is 'not science' either," Fred added, irked.

Wasabi sighed. "Nope."

"Well, what about an invisible sandwich? Like, you're eating, but everyone just thinks you're _crazy._ "

"Please stop," Wasabi begged.

"Hiro."

At the mention of his name, Hiro turned and saw Tadashi across the room. With a bob of the head, Tadashi called him over.

Fred continued to ramble off potential inventions as Hiro slipped away from the group and trailed his brother into his personal room.

"So..." he said, glancing around. "Am I finally going to get to see that secret project of yours?"

"Yep. I actually just finished today," Tadashi admitted.

"Are you serious? Where is it?"

"I'll show you." Leaning over his desk, Tadashi grabbed a roll of duct tape and tore a piece off.

"Duct tape?" Hiro sucked in a breath. "Hate to break it to you, bro, but that already exists."

Tadashi pulled up the sleeve of Hiro's hoodie and flattened the tape sticky-side down on his arm.

"Whoa. What are you-" Hiro started.

Too late. Tadashi yanked the tape away in one fluid motion, leaving a bright red mark on Hiro's skin.

"Ow! Dude!" Hiro cried, rubbing the stinging bruise.

_Beep. Beep._

The rest of his tirade dissipated as the little red box under the window that he paid little mind to hummed and opened on its own accord.

Hissing filled the air as a white, puffy figure inflated to life.

Hiro was stunned into silence. Moving a chair to the side that was obstructing its path, the white blob with arms and legs and a tiny oval head waddled over, pausing just inches away from the teen.

" _This_ is what I've been working on," Tadashi said.

"Hello." The figure greeted Hiro with a small circular wave. "I am Baymax. Your personal healthcare companion."

"A _nurse_ robot?" he asked.

"I was alerted to the need for medical attention when you said, 'ow,'" Baymax continued. "On a scale of one to ten, how would you rate your pain?"

A screen with ten smiley faces, expressions ranging from elated to absolute despair, lit up on Baymax's chest.

"Physical... _or_ _emotional?_ " Hiro narrowed his eyes at his brother.

Tadashi stuck out his bottom lip and blinked. _Puppy face._

"I will scan you now." Baymax bowed his head and then lifted it. "Scan complete. You have sustained no serious injuries; however, I have detected a slight epidermal abrasion on your right forearm. I suggest an antibacterial spray."

"What's in the spray exactly?" Hiro questioned, testing the robot's knowledge.

"The primary ingredient is bacitracin," Baymax reported. A second screen displaying the molecular composition popped up.

"Ah." Hiro clicked his tongue. "That's a shame. I'm actually allergic to that, so..."

"You are not allergic to bacitracin," Baymax refuted. "However, my scan shows a mild allergy to peanuts."

"Huh." Hiro extended his arm so Baymax could apply the treatment. He glanced at Tadashi. "You've done some serious coding on this thing."

"Programmed him with over ten thousand medical procedures," Tadashi said. He tapped a circular port on Baymax's chest and it opened, revealing a green chip labeled with his name. "This chip is what makes Baymax, Baymax."

Hiro reached up and slid it back in. He circled the robot and poked his shiny outer shell. "Vinyl?"

"I was going for a non-threatening, 'huggable' design," explained Tadashi.

Making it around to the front, Hiro mused, "Looks like a walking marshmallow. No offense." His comment was directed at Baymax.

"I am a robot. I cannot be offended," Baymax stated.

Hiro then stood on his toes to get a better look at Baymax's face. "Hyperspectral cameras?"

"Uh-huh," Tadashi confirmed.

 "Titanium skeleton?" Hiro gasped, his face pushed into Baymax's translucent casing.

"Carbon-fiber," Tadashi corrected.

" _Right._ Even lighter."

Hiro backed up.

"You have been a good boy," Baymax cooed. "Have a lollipop."

Hiro lit up.  "Sweet!"

"I cannot deactivate until you say you are satisfied with your care."

Sticking the candy in his mouth, Hiro grinned. "Well, then I am satisfied with my care."

"He's going to help a lot of people," Tadashi said, as Baymax shuffled to his charging station and deflated.

In a rare moment of seriousness, Hiro touched his brother's arm. "Baymax is _really_ awesome. Seriously. I'm, like, speechless. And you know that doesn't happen to me very often."

All the time Hiro spent wondering what Tadashi could possibly be building, never did he imagine it would be something like this. It was a spectacular feat, and even with all his intellect, Hiro could never see himself accomplishing such a thing. But this was Tadashi he was talking about; he should have known better than to think it would be anything less than life-changing.

"Thanks, Hiro," he said, his gaze not leaving Baymax's luggage. "That means a lot, especially from you."

Hiro wanted to ask him exactly what he meant by that, but they were interrupted by the voice of an older man from the door.

"Burning the midnight oil, Mr. Hamada?"

"Professor Callaghan." Tadashi steered Hiro in front of him. "This is my brother, Hiro."

The man had graying hair and donned an olive sweater vest over a steel blue collared shirt.

"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, son," he said with a firm handshake. "Your brother speaks of you often."

"Really?" he looked at Tadashi, who smiled.

"Yes. He tells me that you're quite the bot-fighter. When my daughter was your age, that's all she wanted to do. May I?" Callaghan gestured to Megabot.

Hiro nodded and handed it over.

Callaghan stepped out into the hallway and Hiro followed, watching him inspect his pride and joy.

"Hmm... magnetic-bearing servos," Callaghan murmured.

"Pretty cool, right? Would you like me to tell you how I put it together?" Hiro asked, not wasting the chance to show off, even just a little.

"Hey, genius." Tadashi's voice came from behind the opaque wall. He knocked and the glass became transparent. "He invented them."

Hiro's jaw went slack, the realization of who he was talking to hitting him like a ton of bricks. "You're... Robert Callaghan. As in, Callaghan's Laws of Robotics?" He squirmed, suddenly feeling diffident.

In the field of technology, Callaghan was king. His name inevitably came up in all conversations regarding the newest cutting-edge in mechatronics.

"That's right," Callaghan said, returning Megabot. "Have you ever considered joining us here at SFIT? There is certainly a place for you, and your age wouldn't be an issue."

Shutting off the lights and closing the door to his room, Tadashi answered for him. "I don't know, he's pretty serious about his bot-fighting."

Hiro knew Tadashi was teasing, but Callaghan's offer was tempting. "Sorta serious," he countered.

Tadashi guided him along to the elevators to go down to the main floor.

"Well, with a bot like yours, winning must come easy. But, if easy is what you're looking for, then our program isn't for you. We push the boundaries of robotics here. Our students go on to shape the future."

The professor gave Tadashi a knowing look.

The two in the elevator, Callaghan pressed the button to send them to the lobby. "It was nice to meet you, Hiro. Good luck with your bot-fights."

Outside the lab, Hiro was pacing the steps. He heard Tadashi say something about hurrying if he wanted to make the fight, but it didn't register. His mind was racing.

"I  _have_ to go here," he said, his tone resolute. "I-if I don't go to this nerd school, I am going to lose my mind!"

Hiro looked at Tadashi stationed on his moped on the pavement.

"How do I get in?"

-o-

When they got home, Tadashi stapled a flyer to the wall above Hiro's desk; his golden ticket to SFIT.

"Every year, the school holds a showcase in which people from all over bring their latest and best inventions for exhibition. You build something that blows Callaghan away, you're in," Tadashi said. "But, it's gotta be great."

It sounded simple, and Hiro was just cocky enough to take on the challenge. The showcase was in August, giving him just under four months to create his best work yet. 

He cracked his knuckles and rolled up to his desk. "Trust me, it will be."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you all liked it! Please drop me a review! Sorry I haven't updated in so long; the holidays are crazy. I hope you all had a Happy New Year! Updates might continue to be spaced out because I am taking a winter class starting Monday (2.5 weeks of hell) and I also have another class in between that. If I don't update in a while, just know that I haven't forgotten about this story (or 'You Have to Let Me Help You') and please stick with me! I love and appreciate all of you :)


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